The Zambon Research Venture Open Accelerator initiative, the international acceleration program for the growth of startups with high innovative potential in the field of life sciences, is back, which from this year will focus on the femtech (female technology) sector and will have a new format. The initiative brings together startups and business ideas that aim to develop services and products that address major medical needs and improve women’s well-being and health in therapeutic areas such as gynecology, cardiovascular health, oncology, sexual health, endocrinology, gastroenterology and nutrition, autoimmune disorders, mental health, neurology, reproductive health. The call for applications will open on Friday, March 8, 2024, on the occasion of International Women’s Day, and will remain open until June 16. At the end of the selection phase, up to five startups will be identified that will be able to receive an investment of 100 thousand euros each from Zcube, through a SAFE (simple agreement for future equity) agreement, and will access a training and mentoring program provided by professionals in the field of investments, business development, venture capital, intellectual property, regulatory and market access. The startups with the greatest potential will also have the opportunity to start partnerships with the Zambon group, which will allow them to accelerate their market access and commercial positioning thanks to support on a global scale. “We are eager to launch the fifth edition of Open Accelerator because we are attracted to discover which realities can bring value to change the life sciences and women’s health sector with innovative solutions. The choice to dedicate the 2024 edition to the femtech sector is no coincidence: working in areas not yet explored can help create benefits for the global economy. As evidenced by recent studies, it is essential to close this gender gap,” Giovanni Magnaghi, president of Zcube and chief financial officer of Zambon, said in a statement . Since 2016, Open Accelerator has allowed us to offer new and promising business ideas direct access to capital and expertise, thanks to the collaboration with relevant partners who participate in the open innovation ecosystem in our OpenZone science campus, where part of the program is hosted.” The four previous editions of the program have selected 46 startups from 23 countries, of which 8 have received up to €100,000 each in seed investment. The winner of the Distinction Award during the latest edition of Open Accelerator comes from the femtech sector: Hyivy Health, a Canadian startup that is developing a medical device for the rehabilitation of the pelvic floor. Founded in 2019 by Canadian entrepreneur Rachel Bartholomew following a diagnosis of cervical cancer, Hyivy Health aims to improve the standard of care for patients and physicians through a holistic approach. Bartholomew, CEO of Hyivy Health, comments on the launch of the new edition of Open Accelerator: “It is a game-changer for the industry. Open Accelerator is one of the first programs to enter this field with concrete resources and opportunities for femtech startups globally.” “Open Accelerator enhances Zcube’s experience and best expresses our vision of Zambon as an open company, in which open innovation represents a lever for cultural and entrepreneurial growth both for us and for the entire system,” says Elena Zambon, president of Zambon and creator of Open Accelerator. Women’s health is a fundamental issue for Zambon and a central theme on international health agendas: supporting these companies and helping them bring their innovative business ideas to the market is a further effort by our group to innovate care and care, improving people’s lives”.
The program
The call for applications will be open on Friday, March 8, 2024. Once applications close, on June 16, an evaluation period will take place that includes due diligence activities and interviews conducted by a team of experts from Zcube, Zambon and HTH Health Technology Holdings, operating partners of the program, as well as specialized advisors depending on the specific technology or therapeutic area. The acceleration program will begin in September with a three-day kick-off at OpenZone, the scientific campus on the outskirts of Milan dedicated to health created by Zambon with the aim of creating bridges between different worlds, languages and skills, which will be followed by workshops and weekly online lessons on key topics such as product development, market access, sales and marketing, regulatory and clinical validation. In addition to these insights, each selected startup will benefit from a dedicated mentorship to guide them in overcoming the challenges inherent in their entrepreneurial journey. Everything will take place in English, so as to encourage the development of a real network of international connections. The program will end with another three days on the OpenZone campus, scheduled for the end of November, with a focus on business and financial plan, equity negotiation, term sheet drafting, exit and post deal governance. At the end of the meeting, there will be a demo day dedicated to the presentation of startups and projects during which several international venture capital funds will be involved. The Open Accelerator will be coordinated by a group of life science and venture capital experts composed of Federica Destro, external innovation & community manager at Zcube, Vittoria Pavoncello, technology scouting & investment specialist at Zcube, Michele Gaiotto, CEO of HTH and advisor to Zcube, and Marco Gullà, investment associate at HTH. (Photo by William Farlow on Unsplash)
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED ©